The field of the invention is in the MHD generator art.
In conventional combustion driven MHD generators, of the open cycle type, with the working fluid consisting of a seeded gas of combustion products, the electrical conductivity of the working fluid is not as high as desirable. This is because the flame temperature with typical hydrocarbon fuels is substantially limited to a definite determined amount, and this limits the conductivity of the working fluid in the MHD channel.
Typical examples of prior art MHD generators are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,798 to patentees J. Fabre et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,890 to patentee T. R. Brogan; U.S. Pat. No. 3,524,086 to patentee B. C. Lindley; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,503 to patentee L. R. O'Hare. U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,798 disclosed the addition of a plurality of pulsed electric arc discharges in the MHD channel.